1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to connector hold-downs for mechanically attaching a connector to a circuit board and, specically, to hold-downs that can be secured by solder to plated holes through circuit boards.
2. Description of Related Art
Connectors are mechanically attached to printed circuit boards (PCBs) in many ways. One such design bolts connectors to PCBs. See, for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,069. This design is good for connectors of finite length. However, it is not acceptable for modular connectors that can be positioned end-to-end without loss of terminal position between ends of the connectors along a circuit board.
Another design is formed through a heat staking process which calls for heating and then deforming the end of a plastic peg that is integral to a connector housing. A bulged head is produced on the plastic peg by a heat stake process which retains the connector solidly to the PCB. Unfortunately, the processing of the PCB is complicated by the heat staking process. PCBs must be removed from the production line to perform the heat staking operation and then returned to the line, all without disturbing other unsoldered components. FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art right angle Metral.TM. receptacle 10 that can be positioned end-to-end without loss of terminal position between ends of similar connectors along a circuit board. The right angle Metral.TM. receptacle 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a plastic peg 12 that can be used for mechanically attaching the receptacle 10 to a circuit board through a heat staking process such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,863.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a right angle connector with a solderable hold-down. The connector can be a modular connector that can be positioned end-to-end with other identical connectors without loss of terminal position between ends of the connectors along a circuit board. The right angle connector comprises:
an insulative housing having a first mating side, a second side substantially parallel to the first side, a plurality of rows and columns of passages extending from the first side through the housing to the second side, a third side substantially perpendicular to the first and second sides and for mounting on a circuit board, the third side having a substantially planar surface, an annular space recessed in the substantially planar surface, and an insulative cylindrical peg extending through the annular space; PA1 a plurality of terminals having first end portions, second end portions and bent portions connecting the first end portions and the second end portions such that the first end portions are substantially perpendicular to the second end portions, one of the terminals held in each one of the passages; and PA1 an eyelet made with a solderable surface, the eyelet having a skirt portion and a cylindrical sleeve portion connected to the skirt portion and having partially sheared sections, the cylindrical sleeve portion positioned around the peg, the skirt portion substantially positioned in the annular space, the partially sheared sections pressed into the peg immovably attaching the eyelet on the peg.